Adam Platt: 'Gato Isn't Your Standard Flay Restaurant'

Although he's not a fan of the noisy dining room, Adam Platt is pleasantly surprised by the Mediterranean fare that's coming out of Bobby Flay's kitchen at Gato. The critic writes that this "isn't your standard Bobby Flay restaurant," and he notes that the dishes are executed with a "surprisingly delicate touch." Here's Platt on the entrees:

The squid-ink fettucine (with assorted shellfish) turns into a glutinous mass if you don't devour it in a minute or two, but the potentially disastrous block of steamed halibut...was more or less perfectly cooked. The pork chop my friend and I enjoyed one evening was nicely charred, and instead of the usual tired chicken entrée, Flay and his cooks frizzle a duo of chicken breast and thigh to a salty crisp, plate them with crunchy potatoes and a seasonally correct tangle of dandelion greens, and drizzle everything with tarragon-­laced salsa verde.

So far, Flay has received high marks from three of the city's top critics. Expect more reviews in the coming weeks.
· A More Restrained Bobby Flay Returns With Gato [GS]
· All Coverage of Gato [~ENY~]
[Krieger]